Current weather

I agree with the editor of this paper that on Nov. 6 voters should say no to the constitutional amendment as outlined in HR 1162, pertaining to the creation of charter schools. I support providing parents more choice in making decisions about their children’s education. However, this bill takes us down the wrong path to achieving this goal.

I did not mention any Georgia-specific studies because there are no high-quality random-assignment studies in Georgia, but there are from elsewhere. And since we have no reason to believe that Georgia charter schools are fundamentally different than those elsewhere, the positive results from those high quality studies should apply to Georgia as well.

The Georgia Public Policy Foundation would like to congratulate the schools of the Columbia County school system for what publisher Barry L. Paschal describes as one of the “communities with the best schools” (column, Sept. 12). It’s commendable that your system’s faculty and staff are committed to providing students with an opportunity for academic excellence.

Back in March of this year, on the way home from doing lawn service, my brother and I got off at the Interstate 20/Lewiston Road interchange near Grovetown. I finally saw the small directional signs installed along the west- and eastbound exit ramps pointing the way to Grovetown, in addition to the big highway signs along the east- and westbound I-20 approaches to the exit announcing that the city is off the interstate.

I had the pleasure to serve as a Columbia County commissioner from 1999-2003. During my term, I served as chairmen of the Development Committee, which was tasked with looking at and implementing the stormwater fee. After much research and public discussion, the Board of Commissioners voted and unanimously approved the fee.

This next election is so important. The news media would tell you this candidate is for this or that to swing your vote this way or that. Don’t believe it. It is all political noise with the intent to hide the real questions.

Ideology is the true question confronting us. In my humble opinion, America is at a fork in the road and there are only three real important questions Americans need to consider:

On behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation and the State Transportation Board, I want to congratulate the voters of the Central Savannah River Regional District. Your vote to approve the transportation referendum, or T-SPLOST as it is known, was a courageous and visionary investment.

I know it was a difficult decision. Voting to pay additional taxes – even just a penny – in these struggling times for Georgia families and businesses is no small sacrifice.

When it comes to our own health maintenance, we seem to have kicked the smoking habit and made Americans paranoid even to the extent of our neighbor having a smoke in privacy.

Cigarettes used to be issued to our armed forces on into the World War II era. Tobacco as well as alcohol was used as a tranquility drug. Today, calling a smoker stupid is stupid, remembering that some of the most illustrious and intelligent people were smokers.

Government is demanding more control over our lives and criminalization of smoking is not an unforeseeable future.

One studying in business school would learn the business name is one of the critical factors for consideration. Some businesses thrive with names that do not seem to have anything to do with the business. However, when one has the opportunity to come up with a name, it should be done thoughtfully and with intent.

The selection of our next president may very well determine the future of our country. Those whose vote will be motivated by race, entitlements and the need to show an integrated government – think about it.

In 2008 a president was elected with no economic or military experience. He is the product of Chicago politics, a community organizer, a first-term senator. His cry was one of “change.” The economy? Employment? Tax reform?